Acetylene generator



O. N. GREDELL.

ACETYLENE GENERATOR.

APFLlCATlON nuzp JULY 28,1919.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 0. N. GREDELL. ACETYLENE GENERATOR.

APPLlCATlON FILED .IULY28,1919- 1,41 1,084.. I a nted Mar. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

OTTO N. GREDELL, OF WINNWOOD, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO SHEET METAL'PRODUCTSCOMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

ACETYLENE GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t Man 28, 1922 Application filed.July 28,1919. Serial 110.813,?18:

T 0 all whom it may GO'IZGG'T'H.

Be it known that I, om N. GREDELL, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Winnwood,.in thecounty of Clay and State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Acetylene-Generators,of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in acetylene generators.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an acetylene generatorwith novel means for automatically regulating the feedin of the carbide.

y invention provides further an acetylene generator which is simple invconstruction, cheap to manufacture, not liable to get out of order,which is durable and reliable in operation and which is not liable toclogging of the carbide feeding mechanism.

My invention provides further novel means of adjustment of thecarbidefeeding means by which the generator is adapted to operate underdifi'erent pie-determined pressures; i

My invention provides further novel float actuating means.

My invention provides still further a container for water and gascombined with a float chamber communicating therewith and novel-meansfor regulatingthe amount of water held-in-the fioa t chamber and thecontainer.

The novel features of my invention. are

hereinafter'fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings; which. illustrate thepreferred embodimentof my invention,

Fig. l is a central vertical sectional view of my improved acetylenegenerator.

Fig. 2. is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isan enlarged horizontal sectional view onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts in thedifl'erentviews.

Myimproved constructionprovides a container adapted to hold water andgas and comprising, preferably, a vertical cylindrical body'l having itsupper end normally closed by a head 2, through which extend bolts 3,which engage an annular member ,1 encircling and secured to the bod Y 1and supporting a gasket 5, against wiich the head 2'bears.

The lower end of the'body l is closed and is preferably mounted in asuitable support ing base 6. A clean-out conductor T-containing ashut-oil valve 8 connects to the bottom of thebody 1.

closure members "14, which are arranged to swing'downwardly and away'from each other from the closedp'osition shown in the drawlng, bygravity.

For automatically, forcing -the closure members 14; toward the closedposition asthe pressure in the gas container rises, I provide novelfloat actuated meansiwhich will now be described.

1 15 designates a vertically slidable member having at its lower end aVertical stem 16. which is slidably mounted in a horizontal arm 17,which extends inwardly from the body '1. The member 15 is provided withtwo sets of arms 18 which respectively carry rollers '19, which bearagainst the under and outer sides of the closure members or doors 14.

For lifting the member 15 toward the closing position, I provide. asubstantially horizontal lever 20, which at one'end is provided with twoarms 21,'the upper sides of which are adapted to respectively engage andlift two rollers 22 rotatably mounted on the member 15.

The lever support .20 is preferably mount- 7 ed on a verticallyadjustable fulcrum support comprising a horizontalpin 23, which ismounted in a member 24, m which 18 GO Attached to the under side of thehead rotatably mounted the lower end of a vertical screw 25, whichcarries the member 24 and which has its screw-threaded upper portionfitted in a nut 26, which is externally screw-threaded and fitted in athreaded hole in the head 2. The nut 26 is mounted in a vertical tube 27which extends from the top to the bottom of the hopper 9 and throughwhich the screw extends.

The upper end of the screw 25 is provided with ahand wheel 28, abovethehead 2, by means of which the screw 25 may be manuall rotated in theproper direction for bodi y lifting or lowering the lever 20, throughthe intermediacy of the member 24 and pin 23.

To prevent leakage of gas through the nut 26, the upper end of the nutis provided with an internally screw-threaded recess in which is fitteda threaded packing ring 29, which encircles the screw 25 and bearsagainst packing 30, mounted in said recess and bearing against the screw25.

, For automatically forcing downwardly the left end of'the lever 20, asviewed in Fig. 1,

' so as tomove the lever toward the closing position, as the gaspressure increases, I provide a hollow float 31, preferably open at itslower end, but which may have a closed lower end, and to the upper endof which are attached the arms of an. inverted'U- shaped yoke 32, theunder side of the transverse portion of which rests upon a roller33carried at the left end of the lever 20, as viewed in Fig. 1.

1 For lifting the float 31, as the gas pressure decreases, so as topermit the closure members 14 to move toward the open position, so thatmore carbide may be discharged into the water 11, I provide a receptaclefor liquid, preferably water, comprising an outer shell 34, which isclosed at its lower end, and

which is mounted in the container 1. Located within the shell. 34 andspaced apart therefrom so as to form an annular chant ber 35, which isclosed at its upper end, is a vertical tube 36, the lower end ofwhich'is spaced apart from the bottom offthe shell 34, so asto permitliquid, such as water37, to pass from the chamber 38, which is formed bythe tube 36. tothe chamber 35. The upper end of the chamber 38communicates with the interior "ofthe container 1 above the level of thewater 11. The float 31 is vertically movable in and spaced apart fromthe tube 36. 7

In order that the proper amount of water may be initially placed in thecontainer 1 and'in the chambers 38 and 35, the chamber 38'near its upperend is provided with a Water inlet pipe 39 which, at the outer side ofthe container 1,'is provided with a shutoif valve 40. The chamber 38near its up per end is provided with an outlet pipe 41, whichextendsthrough the shell 34. 6

The container 1, at a point lower than the outlet pipe 41 is providedwith an outlet pipe 42, in which is mounted a shut-off valve 43. w 7 iIn order that the two valves 40 and 43, which are of the ordinaryoscillatable type, may be simultaneously opened and closed, I provide avertical rock shaft 44, which has its upper and lower ends respectivelyrigidly attached to the rotary valve 40 and 43, and which is providedwith a laterally extending handle 45.

By turning the handle 45 to the open position, both valves 40 and 43will be opened, and water will fiow through the inlet pipe 39 into thechamber 38. \Vhen the level of the water in the chamber 38 rises to theheight of the outlet pipe 41, the water will be discharged through theoutlet pipe 41 into the container 1. Vhen water begins to flow out ofthecontainer 1 through theoutlet pipe 42, the handle 45 is turned so as toclose the valves 40 and 43.

The head 2 of the container may be provided with a charging opening,through which carbide may be placed into the hopper 9, and which isnormally closed by a suitable cover 46, through which extends a bolt 47having threaded engagementiat its 1 lower end with a closure plate'48.whi ch bears against a gasket 49, at the inner side of the head 2. V

After the proper amount of water has been deposited inthe chamber 38 andcontainer 1, and a supply of carbide has been placed in the hopper 9,the hand wheel 28 is turned so as to adjust the screw 25 to a positionsuch' that the lever 20 will permit the proper opening of the closuremembers 14 to correspond with the amount of pressure which it is desiredto have carried 'in the container 1.;

The members 14 being open-, will permit carbide to pass downwardlythrough the opening 10 of the hopper into thewater 11, thusgeneratinggas, th'epre'ssure of which will be communicated from the container 1 tothe top of the float 31 and to the surface of the water in thechamber38, thereby forcing the water in the chamber 38 downwardly and thenceupwardly into the chamber35,

and also into the float 31, when the latter has an open bottom.

As the water in the chamber air in the chamber 35 will be compressed,

38 lowers, the

and the float 31 will. fall, thus forcing down l'ower, upon. which thepressure of the air in the chamber 35 will force-water therefrom intothe chamber 38, thus lifting the float 31,

' which will permit the right end of the lever the water 11.

I If it is desired to accumulate a greater pressure of gas in thecontainer 1 the hand wheel 28-15 turned so'as to lower the screw 25,thus lowering the lever 20.

To stir the carbide and to prevent its clogging as it passes between theclosure members 1 1, there may be provided: on the-member 15 a pluralityof vertical pins which extend upwardly between the inner edges of theclosure members- 14..

By turning the screw 25 soas to-lift. it the proper distance, theclosures 14 may be closed tightlv so as to prevent any dis charge ofcarbide, when it is desired to shut down the operation of the machine.

In order, however, that the operation of the machine may be shut down,without disturbing the proper operative adjustment of the screw 25, Iprovide additional 'manually operated means for closing the members 14independently of the screw 25,1ever 20 or float 31. Such additionalmeans comprises a vertical screw 51, which is fitted in a nut 52,corresponding in construction to the nut 26 and similarly mounted in thehead 2. The upper end of the screw 51 has secured to it a hand wheel 53,and the lower end of the screw 51 is rotatably fitted in a member 54,which the screw 51 supports and which is pivoted by a transverse pin 55to a horizontally disposed lever 56 having two arms 57 which arerespectively pivoted to two arms 58 extending laterally from the tubularmember 12. The arms 57 are adapted to strike respectively shoulderedportions 59, Fig. 2, provided at opposite sides respectively of themember 15 and which have respectively mounted in them vertical guidepins 60, slidably mounted in the member 13.

By turning the screw 51 so as to lift the right hand of the lever 56,the latter may be moved so as to lift the member 15 so as to close themembers 14.-

To prevent gas escaping, where the screw 51 extends through the head 2,the nut 52 may be provided with a packing collar 61, Vwhich bearsagainst packing '62, mounted in the nut 52 around the screw 51. Thescrew 51 may extend through a vertical tube 63, which extends betweenthe bottom of the hopper 9 and the hear-d2 and fin the upper end ofwhichthe nut- 52 is mounted. The nut 52 is externally screwthreaded andfitted in a threaded hole in the head 2. y

Upon lowering the screw 51, the lever 56 may be lowered to permitthemember:

support for the lever.

14 to open,' upon which the production of I gas will be automaticallyrecommenced and continued in'the manner already described.

By having the feed opening in the head, which is normally closed by thecover -t6-48-, communicating with the chamber above the hopper 9,carbide may be placed in the carbide holder without removingthe head 2and without disturbing any of the operating parts, the float 31 beinglocated below'the carbide holder, asis the mechar nisnrwhichcontrols thefeed of the carbide from the holder. I

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and vdescribed, asmodifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be madewithout departing from the spirit oli'my invention.

- What I claimj'is':- I

1. In an acetylene generator, a container adapted to hold water and gas,means for feeding carbide 'into the water, a lever,

means actuated by the lever for controlling said feeding means, avertically adjustable fulcrum support for the lever, and means actuatedby change of gas pressure in the container for swinging the lever.

,2. In an acetylene generator, a container adapted to hold water andgas, means for feeding carbide into the wiater, a lever, means actuatedby the lever for controlling said feeding means, a vertically movablefulcrum support for the lever including two members, one a screw and theother a nut fitted on said screw, one of said members being supported bysaid container, and means actuated by change of gas pressure" in thecontainer for swinging said lever.

3. In an acetylene generator, a container adapted to hold water and gas,means for feeding carbide into the water, a lever, means actuated'by thelever for controlling said feeding means, a receptacle for liquid havingmeans by which change of gas pressure in the container effects verticalmovement .of the liquid, a float carried by said liquid engaging andadaptedto swin said lever, and avertically adjustable fu crum at. In anacetylene generator, a container adapted to hold water and gas, meansfor feeding carbide into the water, a lever, a. vertically adjustablefulcrum support for the lever, means actuated by the lever forcontrolling said feeding means, a receptacle for liquid having two,chambers, one of which communicates above the liquid with said containerabove the water in the latter and which communicates with the otherchamber below the level of the liquid, and a float carried by: theliquid in one of said In an acetylene generator, a container adapted tohold water and 'gas, a carbide chambers and adapted to engage and swing"said lever. V

"holder arranged'to discharge carbide into the 'water, a closure 'forregulating such discharge, a lever, a vertically adjustable fulcrumsupport for the lever, means actuated by the lever for moving theclosure toward the closed position, a float adapted to engage and swingsaid lever, and means actuated by change of gas pressure in thecontainer for vertically moving said float. 10 I lever, a float engagingsaid lever and adapted when moving vertically in one direction to swingthe lever toward the closed position, and means actuated by change ofgas pressure in said container for vertically moving saidfloat. I 7.111an'acetylene generator, acontainer adapted to hold water and gas, acarbide holder arranged to discharge carbide into the water, a movableclosure for regulating such discharge, a lever, a vertically adjustable"fulcrum support for the lever, means actuated by the lever for movingsaid 010- sure toward the closed position, a-receptacle for liquidhaving two chambers, one of which communicates with said container abovethe liquid and above the water, and which communicates with the otherbelow the level of the liquid and a float carried by the liquid in oneof said chambers and arranged to engage and swing said lever toward theclosing position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. 1 IOTTO N. GREDELL.

